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Mercury Report - Children's Exposure to Elemental Mercury

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Why was the report written?

Children attending a daycare in New Jersey were exposed to elemental (metallic) mercury. The daycare opened in a building that was previously a thermometer factory. Before the daycare opened, the building was not cleaned properly.

Elemental mercury can cause health problems.

Congress wanted to know more about events related to elemental mercury exposures. They asked the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to review the ways children are exposed. ATSDR worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prepare a report about their findings.

Mercury Report

What did ATSDR find?

For children, most elemental mercury exposures happen at home or at school.

Home Most home exposures are due to broken thermometers. Mercury is also in some medical and mechanical equipment used in the home and in compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Some cultural and ceremonial practices use elemental mercury. People who work with mercury may bring it home on their clothes or shoes.See section 10.1 of the report for more information>>

School Mercury sources in schools include science labs and broken instruments. Students who find mercury in other places may bring it to school. Some types of polyurethane flooring used in schools may give off mercury vapors, especially when damaged.See section 10.2 of the report for more information>>

Any location in which mercury is spilled and not properly cleaned up can cause exposure. For example, some medical and dental clinics use mercury or items that contain mercury. If these items are broken, children could be exposed. Children can also scavenge mercury from abandoned properties.

Exposure to elemental mercury most often occurs when it is handled the wrong way or when a spill is not cleaned up correctly.

State and federal agencies work to teach people about mercury and to make it less available.

Health Care Providers

List the possible sources of mercury in a medical or dental office. Properly dispose of mercury and items that contain mercury. For more information on how to correctly dispose of items that contain mercury, visit http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/.